2010 - 2013 years

The following article was in the Edmonton Journal, Article and picture
by Nick Lee

EDMONTON - He uses his nose to write on his computer, and he has mastered downhill
skiing.

"My new challenge is to finish the 21-kilometre Edmonton Half Marathon on Sunday,"
says Ken Thomas.

"I will hopefully complete it in about 2½ hours."

That's a pretty respectable time for many first-time half marathoners. But Thomas
was deprived of oxygen at birth and has cerebral palsy.

"It affected my speech and I regularly communicate through my computer," he says.

"I use my nose to type because I can't use my hands for fine movements such as
typing and eating. I might be the world's only nose pecker."

Thomas, 58, has a quip to deal with every turn in life and hasn't let his disability
prevent him from taking the day by the scruff of the neck.

He gained a high school diploma, took computer courses, enjoys wheelchair square
dancing and rides a tricycle. "I swim one kilometre nonstop once a week using a
life-jacket," says Thomas."

He has won countless gold medals in national and international road and track
races.

"The medal I'm most proud of is the bronze I won in the 800 metres during the
1988 Paralympics in Seoul, Korea," he says.

"I had to retire from international competition in 1992 because there weren't
enough athletes in my class to compete in events at the Barcelona Paralympics."

Thomas pushes his super-light racing wheelchair backward with his feet. He trains
a couple of times a week at the U of A Butterdome in the winter and on the quiet
residential streets west of the university in the summer.

"I'm in the best shape I've ever been in," he says. "I am really looking forward
to the half-marathon on Sunday.

"I'll have a runner-guide along to warn me of potholes, raised manholes and other
bumps. My chair is light and tips easily.

The obvious question to ask such an intrepid athlete is whether or not he's encountered
an insurmountable challenge.

"There is one," he says. " I haven't yet been able to train my dog to go to the
fridge and get me a beer. We're working on it."

It was a great race 21K in exactly 2:30:06

Loved the straight few tinny hills course. Only
thing that I did not enjoy much was the steel grated bridge over groat road by the
museum, it kind of shakes the bones up and slows you down a bit when your run/wheeling
in a track wheel chair. Luckily my bladder was not full!

Would I do it again? SURE

I want to thank my two guide runners John Devilin and
Jeff Bellinger who navigated me around big bumps in the road, moved pylons
out of the my way, asked human speed bumps to move aside etc. (I loved the cheers
and encouragement I got from many of them) I could not have done the 21K with
out them!

2011

Half Marathon was great again.

2012

In March I ran/wheeled from 79 street all the
way down Whyte Avenue to the U of A in the Rick Hansen 25 anniversary
man in motion relay. It was fun!

Also in March I was the recipient of the Canadian Paraplegic Associations Lois Holes Community Development Award

(~d601;

TheHonourableLoisHoleCommunityDevelopmentAward

This is a provincial award given to an individual who has made a long
term contribution to the

lives of people with disabilities.

PresentedtoKennethP.Thomas

IBorn in 1952, Ken Thomas started life with
Cerebral Palsy

Iwhich left him with
speech and physical coordination

Ichallenges and a limited ability to walk.

Against many odds. Ken eventually moved into the

newly constructed
(first of its kind for Edmonton) Easter

Seals McQueen Group
Home. For over 15 years, Ken

participated in the
development of programs that provide

opportunities for
residents to manage their care, for

services, recreational
outings as well as staff hiring an

evaluations. From
there. Ken moved to his own apartment

in Artspace Housing
Co-op which includes a personal car

component

I In the 1980's and 90's. Ken competed in internationally in

track events winning
countless medals. Winning bronze in

l

the 800m at the Paralympics in Seoul, Korea 1988 which was one of
his proudest moments. Ken uses a specially-

designed, lightweight,
three-wheeled racing wheelchair which he propels backwards using his

feet. Ken retired from
international competition in 1992 because there weren't enough athletes

in his class to
compete in events at the Barcelona Paralympics. In 2005, Ken was refused

participation in the
World Masters Games, citing concerns he might run into and injure other

participants. Through
persistence and personal advocacy efforts he was eventually allowed to

run in the race. Ken
has ran/wheeled in many local 10 kilometer road races and 2 half marathons
since then.

Ken is passionate about
creating a more accessible city and is a regular at many events. He ~

a strong advocate for
Edmonton's accessible transit system and makes use of DATS, ETS and

the LRT. Ken has been
involved with many disability organizations and committees that lobby

for equal rights and
inclusion opportunities for persons with disabilities, including the City

of Edmonton Advisory
Committee, in which he was instrumental in producing radio ads for

Accessible Parking
Awareness Week in 2007 and continues to promote parking awareness to